Summary
Two of the PSP’s most beloved rhythm games are making their way to theNintendo Switchthis year. These are none other than the first twoPatapongames, and interestingly, this is the fourth PlayStation-owned IP to have officially been announced for aSwitchrelease.
Originally released in 2007,Pataponwas developed by Pyramid and thenow-defunct PlayStation first-party team Japan Studio.Pataponquickly became a hit among PSP players thanks to its innovative gameplay mechanics, where players control an army of tiny, one-eyed warriors using drum beats. The success of the firstPatapongame led to an award-winning sequel in 2008, and then a third entry in 2011.PataponandPatapon 2were ported to the PS4 by 2020, and the niche franchise remains a PlayStation cult classic to this day.
Fans of the series have had an eventful year so far, asPatapon 3was added to the PlayStation Plus Premium classics cataloglast month, making the entire trilogy playable on modern hardware. Now,Pataponis making its first-ever debut on the Switch, with the latest Nintendo Direct having announcedPatapon 1+2 Replay. Despite it being a Sony-owned IP, PlayStation isn’t handling the development of thisPataponcollection; Bandai Namco Entertainment is in charge.Patapon 1+2 Replayhits Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PC on June 27, 2025, and will feature the same beloved gameplay that made the series popular in the first place.
Patapon 1+2 Replay Release Date and New Features
New Features
Additionally, Bandai Namco has implemented some new accessibility features inPatapon 1+2 Replay, such as difficulty settings (Easy, Normal, Hard), the ability to adjust button press timing, and keeping the drum icon displayed at all times. Pre-orders forPatapon 1+2 Replayare expected to go live soon, but details around pricing remain under wraps for now. The exclusion ofPatapon 3from this remastered collection is a bit odd, but Sony may be gauging the response to the first two games from Switch users to decide whether to bring the threequel forward as well, possibly in a standalone capacity. Interestingly,Patapon 1+2 Replaywasn’t the onlylegacy PlayStation IPto show up during the March 2025 Nintendo Direct.
Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots, a brand-new entry in theEverybody’s Golffranchise developed under the Bandai Namco umbrella, has also been confirmed to launch on Switch, PS5, and PC later this year. Moreover, the Japanese publisher released aremaster of the obscure PS Vita first-party titleFreedom Warsin January 2025, and prior to this, PlayStation itself launchedLEGO Horizon Adventureson Switch last November. It’s clear that Sony is looking to introduce its IPs to the Nintendo audience, and it should be interesting to see how far the gaming giant is willing to go with this multiplatform venture.
